Martin Center Research and Policy Fellow Shannon Watkins wrote an opinion piece arguing that civil discourse remains essential to restoring trust in higher education and repairing America’s polarized civic culture. Pointing to examples at institutions such as UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, and Kalamazoo College, Watkins highlights how students are eager for respectful conversations across ideological lines when given the opportunity. She also outlines recommendations from the Martin Center’s Blueprint for Reform: Civil Discourse, including expanding campus debate programs, adopting free-speech protections, and encouraging institutional neutrality.
The opinion piece can be read HERE.